You have to mail an I-865. It cannot be filed online.
Should get an email confirmation.
If you filed the AR-11 online and the I-865 by mail, you have done what you are supposed to.
See this member's comment:
@Dispie said "The I-130 Receipt Notice was available for download the same day, and they also mailed it. We attached the receipt notice to our mailed I-485. There is also a place in the form to add the receipt number. No questions so far."
Immediately....posted to your USCIS account. A copy of the online receipt notice can be sent with the I485 package.....or you can just mail the I-130 package, I-485 package, I-131 package, and I-765 package together.
Look at Step 19 on the Visa Journey K-1 flowsheet. It says you can now go back to get her name changed on the SS Card (Take the marriage certificate). Then, as @Rocio0010 said, use her new name for Adjustment of Status.
I don't understand why the resistance to a courthouse wedding. The couple, the officiant, and maybe a witness are in a room together. The whole process takes only a few minutes....formal dress isn't even required for the ones I have seen....and the result is an official marriage certificate. That leaves no doubt for USCIS.
This is just the first hoop you have to jump through. There will be more immigration hoops to navigate over the next several years....one of which is increased USCIS fees beginning April 1st.
It has been done....but you need to check that State Nursing Board for their particular procedures and requirements. Individual states have their own practices.
What does "risky" mean? By law, ANY person visiting the US is already assumed to have immigrant intent. "Grey area"......hardly. Visa Journey is full of people who have visited multiple times during the immigration process. Visiting from a VWP country is normally not an issue. The so-called "risk" is the same whether entering as a fiance or as a spouse. The absolute worst case (and very unlikely) scenario is he would get turned around and sent home. There would be no impact on immigration.